DDW: Dual Method Assists in Removal of Right Colon Polyps

Monday, May 5, 2014 (Last Updated: 05/06/2014)

MONDAY, May 5, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Laparoscopic-assisted colonoscopy with polypectomy (LACP) may be an effective alternative to laparoscopic hemicolectomy (LHC) for difficult-to-remove polyps in the right colon, according to research presented at the annual Digestive Disease Week, held from May 3 to 6 in Chicago.

Jonathan Buscaglia, M.D., of the Stony Brook University School of Medicine in New York City, and colleagues randomly assigned patients to LACP (14 patients) or LHC (14 patients) for the removal of unresectable polyps in the right colon.

"About 25 percent of patients undergoing colonoscopy require polyp removal, and a significant proportion of these patients have large polyps that cannot be easily removed by standard advanced colonoscopic techniques," Buscaglia said in a statement. "These findings suggest that we may need to tailor our surgical approach to ensure every patient receives the best care possible, regardless of polyp removal difficulty."